The matrix metalloproteases (aka. matrix metalloendo-proteinases or MMPs) are a family of zinc endoproteinases which include, but are not limited to, interstitial collagenase (aka. MMP-1), stromelysin (aka. proteoglycanase, transin, or MMP-3), geiatinase A (aka. 72 kDa-gelatinase or MMP-2) and gelatinase B (aka. 95 kDa-gelatinase or MMP-9). These MMPs are secreted by a variety of cells including fibroblasts and chondrocytes, along with natural proteinatious inhibitors known as TIMPs (Tissue Inhibitor of MetalloProteinase).
All of these MMPs are capable of destroying a variety of connective tissue components of articular cartilage or basement membranes. Each MMP is secreted as an inactive proenzyme which must be cleaved in a subsequent step before it is able to exert its own proteolytic activity. In addition to the matrix destroying effect, certain of these MMPs such as MMP-3 have been implemented as the in vivo activator for other MMPs such as MMP-1 and MMP-9 (A. Ho, H. Nagase, Arch Biochem Biophys., 267, 211-16 (1988); Y. Ogata, J. J. Enghild, H. Nagase, J. Biol. Chem., 267, 3581-84 (1992)). Thus, a cascade of proteolytic activity can be initiated by an excess of MMP-3. It follows that specific MMP-3 inhibitors should limit the activity of other MMPs that are not directly inhibited by such inhibitors.
It has also been reported that MMP-3 can cleave and thereby inactivate the endogenous inhibitors of other proteinases such as elastase (P. G. Winyard, Z. Zhang, K. Chidwick, D. R. Blake, R. W. Carrell G., Murphy, FEBS Letts., 279, 1, 91-94 (1991)). Inhibitors if MMP-3 could thus influence the activity of other destructive proteinases by modifying the level of their endogenous inhibitors.
A number of diseases are thought to be mediated by excess or undesired matrix-destroying metalloprotease activity or by an imbalance in the ratio of the MMPs to the TIMPs. These include: a) osteoarthritis (Woessner, et al., J. Biochelogical Chem., 259(6), 3633-3638 (1984); J. Rheumatol., 10, 852-860 (1883)), b) rheumatoid arthritis (D. E. Mullins, et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 695, 117-214 (1983); Arthritis and Rheumatism, 20, 1231-1239 (1977); Arthritis and Rheumatism, 34, 1076-1105 (1991)), c) septic arthritis (R. J. Williams, et al., Arthr. Rheum., 33, 533-41 (1990)), d) tumor metastasis (R. Reich, et al., Cancer Res., 48, 3307-3312 (1988), and L. M. Matrisian, et al., Proc. Nat'l. Acad. Sci., USA, 83, 9413-7 (1986)), e) periodontal diseases (C. M. Overall, et al., J. Periodontal Res., 22, 81-88 (1987)), f) corneal ulceration (F. R. Burns, et al., Invest. Opthalmol., 30, 1569-1575 (1989)), g) proteinuria (W. H. Baricos, et al., Biochem. J., 254, 609-612 (1988)), h) coronary thrombosis from atherosclerotic plaque rupture (A. M. Henney, et al., Proc. Nat'l. Acad. Sci. USA, 88, 8154-8158 (1991)), i) aneurysmal aortic disease (N. Vine and J. T. Powell, Clin. Sci., 81, 233-9 (1991)), j) birth control (J. F. Woessner, et al., Steroids, 54, 491-499 (1989)), k) dystrophobic epidermnolysis bullosa (A. Kronberger, et al., J. Invest. Dermatol., 79, 208-211 (1982)), and l) degenerative cartilage loss following traumatic joint injury, conditions leading to inflammatory responses, osteopenias mediated by MMP activity, tempero mandibular joint disease, demyelating diseases of the nervous system, etc. (J. Neurochem., 50, 688-694 (1988)).
The need for new therapies is especially important in the case of arthritic diseases. The primary disabling effect of oeteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and septic arthritis is the progressive loss of articular cartilage and thereby normal joint function. No marketed pharmaceutical agent is able to prevent or slow this cartilage loss, although nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been given to control pain and swelling. The end result of these diseases is total loss of joint function which is only treatable by joint replacement surgery. MMP inhibitors are expected to halt or reverse the progression of cartilage loss and obviate or delay surgical intervention.
Proteases are critical elements at several stages in the progression of metastatic cancer. In this process, the proteolytic degradation of structural protein in the basal membrane allows for expansion of a tumor in the primary site, evasion from this site as well as homing and invasion in distant, secondary sites. Also, tumor induced angiogenesis is required for tumor growth and is dependent on proteolytic tissue remodeling. Transfection experiment with various types of proteases have shown that the matrix metalloproteases play a dominant role in these processes in particular gelatinases A and B (MMP-2 and MMP-9, respectively). For an overview of this field see Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 695 (1983), 177-214; Eur. Respir. J. 7 (1994), 2062-2072; Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine 4 (1993), 197-250.
Furthermore, it could be shown that inhibition of degradation of extracellular matrix by the native matrix metalloprotease inhibitor TIMP-2 (a protein) arrests cancer growth (Cancer Res. 52, 701-708, 1992) and that TIMP-2 inhibits tumor-induced angiogenesis in experimental systems (Science 248, 1408-1410, 1990). For a review see Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1994, 222-232. It was furthermore demonstrated that the synthetic matrix metalloprotease inhibitor batimastat when given intraperitoneally inhibits human colon tumor growth and spread in an orthotopic model in nude mice (Cancer Res. 54, 4726-4728, 1994) and prolongs the survival of mice bearing human ovarian carcinoma xenografts (Cancer Res. 53, 2087-2091, 1993). The use of this and related compounds has been described in WO-A-9321942.
There are several patents and patent applications claiming the use of metalloproteinase inhibitors for the retardation of metastatic cancer, promoting tumor regression, inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, slowing or preventing of cartilage loss associated with osteoarthritis or for treatment of other diseases as noted above (e.g. WO-A-9519965, WO-A-9519956, WO-A-9519957, WO-A-9519961, WO-A-9321942, WO-A-9321942, WO-9421625, U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,361; U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,937; EP 0574 758 A1, published Dec. 22, 1993; EP 026 436 A1 published Aug. 3, 1988; and EP 0520 573 A1, published Dec. 30, 1992). The preferred compounds of these patents have peptide backbones with a zinc complexing group (hydroxamic acid, thiol, carboxylic acid or phosphinic acid) at one end and a variety of sidechains, both those found in the natural amino acids as well as those with more novel functional groups. Such small peptides are often poorly absorbed, exhibiting low oral bioavailability. They are also subject to rapid proteolytic metabolism, thus having short half lives. As an example, batimastat, the compound described in WO-A-9321942, can only be given intraperitoneally.
Certain 3-biphenoylpropanoic and 4-biaryloylbutanoic acids are described in the literature as anti-inflammatory, anti-platelet aggregation, anti-phlogistic, anti-proliferative, hypolipidemic, antirheumatic, analgesic, and hypocholesterolemic agents. In none of these examples is a reference made to MMP inhibition as a mechanism for the claimed therapeutic effect. Certain related compounds are also used as intermediates in the preparation of liquid crystals.
Specifically U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,701 claims certain substituted benzoylpropionic acids to treat inflammation and pain. These compounds include 3-biphenoylpropanoic acid (aka fenbufen) shown below. ##STR3##
R. G. Child, et al., J. Pharm. Sci., 66, 466-476 (1977) describes structure-activity relationships of several analogs of fenbufen. These include several compounds in which the biphenyl ring system is substituted or the propanoic acid portion is substituted with phenyl, halogen, hydroxyl or methyl, or the carboxylic acid or carbonyl functions are converted to a variety of derivatives. No compounds are described which contain a 4'-substituted biphenyl and a substituted propanoic acid portion combined in one molecule. The phenyl (compounds XLIV and LXXVII) and methyl (compound XLVIII) substituted compounds shown below were described as inactive. ##STR4##
K. K. Kameo, et al., Chem. Pharm. Bull., 36, 2050-2060 and JP patent 62132825 describe certain substituted 3-biphenoylpropionic acid derivatives and analogs thereof including the following. Various compounds with other substituents on the propionic acid portion are described, but they do not contain biphenyl residues. ##STR5##
H. Cousse, et al., Eur. J. Med. Chem., 22, 45-57 (1987) describe the following methyl and methylene substituted 3-biphenoyl-propanoic and -propenoic acids. The corresponding compounds in which the carbonyl is replaced with either CHOH or CH.sub.2 are also described. ##STR6##
German Patent Application No. 19 57 750 of Tomae also describes certain of the above methylene substituted biphenoylpropanoic acids.
M. A. El-Hashsh, et al., Revue Roum. Chim., 23, 1581-1588 (1978) describe products derived from b-aroyl-acrylic acid epoxides including the following biphenyl compound. No compounds substituted on the biphenyl portion are described. ##STR7##
T. Kitamura, et al., Japanese Patent Application No. 84-65795 840404 describes certain biphenyl compounds used as intermediates for the production of liquid crystals including the following. The biphenyl is not substituted in these intermediates. ##STR8##
German Patent No. 28 54 475 uses the following compound as an intermediate. The biphenyl group is not substituted. ##STR9##
A. Sammou, et al., Egypt J. Chem., 15, 311-327 (1972) and J. Couquelet, et al., Bull. Soc. Chim. Fr., 9, 3196-9 (1971) describe certain dialkylamino substituted biphenoylpropanoic acids including the following. In no case is the biphenyl group substituted. ##STR10##
It would be desirable to have effective MMP inhibitors which possess improved bioavailablity and biological stability relative to the peptide-based compounds of the prior art, and which can be optimized for use against particular target MMPs. Such compounds are the subject of the present application.